Lifting Up Jesus

A Test of Faith

A Test of Faith: What happens when God asks you to surrender the very thing He gave you? In this message from Hebrews 11:17-19, Pastor Ryan Skolrud examines Abraham's offering of Isaac as a living parable pointing to Christ. Discover how God's promises don't depend on our ability to protect them and how the same God who raised Isaac back "figuratively" raised Jesus bodily from the grave. Big Idea: God gives us more than He asks from us. NEXT STEPS Identify your "Isaac" what are you holding so tightly that surrender feels impossible? Stop trying to protect God's promises by controlling outcomes; trust His faithfulness instead. Bring your dead relationships, dead dreams, and dead hopes to the God who raises the dead. If you've never surrendered to Christ, recognize that Jesus is the substitute God provided for you receive Him today. Take your next step and fill out a Connection Card below. SCRIPTURE REFERENCEDHebrews 11:17-19 | Genesis 22:1-6, 13, 18 | Genesis 17:19-21 | Genesis 3:15 | James 1:13 | John 1:14, 18, 29 | John 3:16 | John 10:18 | John 19:17 | Galatians 3:16 Link to sermon notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/46257/note-273972.html Connection Card: https://livingwordcc.breezechms.com/form/connection-card If any of our resources have blessed you, please consider giving to the mission of Living Word Community Church. Give Online: https://www.living-wordcc.org/giveText-to-Give: (855) 397-6291 and follow the promptsMail Your Gift: PO Box 502, Carnation, WA 98014 Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and share this message with someone who might need it today. Blessings,Living Word Community Church

Foreigners and Exiles

The Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob died in faith without ever owning the land God promised them. They lived as foreigners and temporary residents on earth, refusing to look back to where they came from, and desiring a better, heavenly homeland. In a culture obsessed with biohacking, life extension, and merging humanity with AI to escape death, this message asks a harder question: what is the "Egypt" you keep wanting to return to, and where is your hope actually anchored? Pastor Ryan Skolrud walks through Hebrews 11:13-16 to show that the Christian life is not about settling into this world, but living as citizens of heaven who are headed somewhere else. NEXT STEPS Identify your "Egypt" the sin, habit, relationship, or mindset you're tempted to return to because it's familiar, even though it enslaves your heart Examine whether you've become comfortable with sin rather than comfortable in this life while remaining spiritually alert Reflect on whether your hope is anchored in Christ or in what this world can offer you right now Fill out a Connection Card to take a next step at Living Word Community Church SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Hebrews 11:13-16 Genesis 15:18-21 Philippians 3:18-20 Exodus 14:11-12 Exodus 16:2-3 Numbers 11:4-6, 18-20 Numbers 14:1-4 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Philippians 3:13-14 John 14:1-3 Revelation 21:1-7 Link to sermon notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/46257/note-273484.htmlConnection Card: https://livingwordcc.breezechms.com/form/connection-card If any of our resources have blessed you, please consider giving to the mission of Living Word Community Church. Give Online: https://www.living-wordcc.org/giveText-to-Give: (855) 397-6291 and follow the promptsMail Your Gift: PO Box 502, Carnation, WA 98014 Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and share this message with someone who might need it today. Blessings,Living Word Community Church

Abraham & Sarah's Faith

Abraham left everything without knowing his destination. Sarah laughed at a promise she thought was impossible. In this message from Hebrews 11:8-12, Pastor Ryan Skolrud walks through six marks of faith found in the lives of Abraham and Sarah faith that takes action, faith that holds possessions loosely, faith that looks past this world, faith that believes against the body's own verdict, faith that moves from doubt to trust, and faith that believes promises too big to be self-generated. This expository message is part of the ongoing Hebrews series, The Supremacy of Christ, from Living Word Community Church, a Bible-teaching church serving Carnation, Duvall, and the Snoqualmie Valley. Next Steps: Ask where God may be calling you away from comfort, and trust His leading even without knowing the outcome Examine what you're holding onto as "yours" and recognize it as God's, entrusted to you for a season Identify where you're anchoring your hope in this world rather than in Christ's eternal promise Bring your "only God can do it" situation to the Lord in prayer, and name the person you're praying will come to faith If you don't yet have hope in Christ, call out to Him today, repent, and submit your life to Him Scripture Referenced: Hebrews 11:8-12 Genesis 12:1-3 1 Peter 2:11-12 Hebrews 11:6 Psalm 24:1-2 Romans 4:19 Genesis 16 Genesis 18:9-15 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 Link to sermon notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/46257/note-273078.htmlConnection Card: https://livingwordcc.breezechms.com/form/connection-card If any of our resources have blessed you, please consider giving to the mission of Living Word Community Church. Give Online: https://www.living-wordcc.org/giveText-to-Give: (855) 397-6291 and follow the promptsMail Your Gift: PO Box 502, Carnation, WA 98014 Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and share this message with someone who might need it today. Blessings,Living Word Community Church

Faith That Saves

What does saving faith actually look like? In this expository sermon from Hebrews 11:7, Pastor Ryan Skolrud examines the faith of Noah a man who believed God's warning about an unseen flood, acted in godly fear, and became an heir of righteousness not by earning it, but by trusting the One who does the work. Noah's obedience condemned a corrupt world not by argument, but by contrast. His life is a type and shadow pointing to Christ the true Ark the only rescue plan God has ever provided for sinners under judgment. If you've been ignoring the warnings, this message is for you. The door doesn't stay open forever. Next Steps Walk with God daily through Scripture reading and prayer Examine whether your faith produces obedience, or only intellectual agreement Ask honestly: do you have Noah's faith, or a demon's faith? If you've never submitted your life to Christ, today is the day repent and trust in his finished work Learn to identify and respond to false teaching contact Pastor Ryan or explore the recommended resources in the sermon Scripture References Hebrews 11:7 Genesis 6:59 Isaiah 6:5 James 2:1820 Romans 4:15 Romans 2:4 Link to Sermon Notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/46257/note-272310.htmlConnection Card: https://livingwordcc.breezechms.com/form/connection-card If any of our resources have blessed you, please consider giving to the mission of Living Word Community Church. Give Online: https://www.living-wordcc.org/giveText-to-Give: (855) 397-6291 and follow the promptsMail Your Gift: PO Box 502, Carnation, WA 98014 Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and share this message with someone who might need it today. Blessings,Living Word Community Church

Pleasing God

Can you please God without faith? Hebrews 11:4-6 gives a definitive answer and it challenges how most people think about faith, belief, and what it means to draw near to God. In this message from our Hebrews series, The Supremacy of Christ, Pastor Ryan Skolrud examines the faith of Abel and Enoch: two men whose brief Old Testament stories carry enormous weight. Abel's sacrifice wasn't approved because of what he brought it was approved because of how he brought it. Enoch didn't just believe God existed he walked with God. Together, they show us that faith is not blind belief. It is trust grounded in evidence, expressed in wholehearted pursuit of the God who keeps His promises. If you've been going through the motions in your faith giving out of obligation, praying without desire, or believing in God without actually drawing near to Him this message is for you. Next Steps: Examine whether you give to God like Abel (out of love and faith) or like Cain (out of obligation) Pursue a walk with God not just religious activity, but genuine relationship through prayer and Bible reading Ask God to give you a renewed desire to seek Him wholeheartedly If you have not yet submitted your life to Christ, draw near to Him today believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him Consider what legacy of faith you are leaving for those who come after you Scripture References: Hebrews 11:4-6 Genesis 4:1-5 Genesis 5:21-24 Romans 3:23-24 Hebrews 4:16 Hebrews 10:22 Ephesians 2 Genesis 15:6 Philippians 3 Link to sermon notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/46257/note-271579.htmlConnection Card: https://livingwordcc.breezechms.com/form/connection-card If any of our resources have blessed you, please consider giving to the mission of Living Word Community Church.Give Online: https://www.living-wordcc.org/give | Text-to-Give: (855) 397-6291 and follow the prompts | Mail Your Gift: PO Box 502, Carnation, WA 98014 Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and share this message with someone who might need it today. Blessings,Living Word Community Church